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Where do you learn to become a man, when the man of the house is away?

“My father is a gentleman,” Nkosikhona Fakudze declares with pride, his voice muffled by the clinks of weights in his makeshift gym. “And he's taught me how to be one too.” In the rugged backdrop of the Mantenga Nature Reserve, nestled in the royal kingdom of Eswatini, lies the tranquil township of Lobamba. Here, the Fakudze family finds their home on a humble farm.

As Nkosikhona reflects on his upbringing, he asks, “Where do you learn to become a man, when you are the son of a migrant worker?” While his father, a ranger, protects the wilderness, his absence from home leaves a void in the young man’s growth towards manhood.

Nkosikhona's admiration for his father's values, rooted deeply in Swazi traditions, is evident. However, his aspirations diverge from the wilderness his father dedicated his life in. Instead, he harbors dreams of carpentry and entrepreneurship, carving his own path in homage to his heritage while embracing his individual passion.

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